SRK cancels deal with Lux Cozy

SRK's team pulls the plug on controversial sponsor

Actor Shah Rukh Khan has sought an end to another off-screen controversy.

His IPL team, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has suspended its association with underwear-brand Lux Cozi after public criticism.

Logos for the brand, owned by Kolkata businessman Ashok Todi, will be removed from the uniforms of the Kolkata Knight Riders. Lux Cozi will no longer be a sponsor for the team.

Todi has been accused of abetment of suicide for Rizwanur Rahman, who died in September 2007, a month after he married Todi's daughter, who had eloped with him. Investigations into Rahman's death show that Todi asked the city's powerful and influential politicians and police officers to end the marriage on various pretexts. Several top policemen, including the city's then police commissioner, have been suspended for their alleged role in the case.

Rahman's death shocked Kolkata and seared its conscience. Rahman's family, politicians, and social activists have been urging Shah Rukh to break ties with Todi and his company.

WATCH: Shah Rukh's repair shop

Michael Jackson may have sung "Heal The World", but SRK seems to be coming up with a new anthem. And it's called "Repair The World" instead.

SRK all set to step into the shoes of 'Don' again

Audiences can get ready for Bollywood villain Don's next chase with director-actor Farhan Akhtar all ready to start shooting the sequel to his hit film "Don" from October this year.

"The next 'Don' is coming up really well. At the moment, we are into heavy pre-production for that. We would start shooting on Oct 1 or Oct 2... that's the scheduled date to start shooting for now. So we are getting there... slowly but surely. (I am) very excited about it. And I am quite certain that I'll have a great time making it and that the audience will surely enjoy it," Farhan told reporters here.

"Don - The Chase Begins" was a remake of 1978 movie "Don" that had megastar Amitabh Bachchan as the gangster. The film received a cult status and is still etched in the minds of many movie buffs.

In 2007, Farhan came out with the "Don - The Chase Begins" with Shah Rukh Khan in the title role. Now the director is set to make part two of the movie and says he will retain most of the star cast from the first instalment.

"There will be a lot of people from my previous 'Don' itself. So there will be Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani, Arjun Rampal and Om Puri. There are also new characters added to the script this time but they are currently being cast," he said.

Farhan was in the capital Monday to promote his movie "Karthik Calling Karthik", a thriller releasing on 500 screens Friday.

The movie is his third as an actor but Farhan says he will never give up direction.

"I would love to have a combination of both (acting and directing) in my life. I don't plan on giving up direction. I love it too much. I am getting back to it with 'Don' towards the end of this year. So it will be a combination of both things always," he said.

For the moment, Farhan can't stop praising his "Karthik Calling Karthik" co-star Deepika Padukone.

"Deepika is extremely professional which I respect a lot. She is prepared about what she needs to do through the day in advance. At the same time, she is not stubborn about having practised and visualised a scene in a certain way and then adapting it differently if asked to.

"I think as an actor, who is evolving and still growing, it's important to be a good listener. She has the ability to listen and not just be made to say the dialogues. I feel that's great."

Akon to Take on Bollywood with Role in Shahrukh Khan Starrer ‘RA One’

Talk about a Bollywood debut with a bang!

International hip-hop star Akon is set to appear in Shahrukh Khan’s and Kareena Kapoor’s upcoming sci-fi action flick "RA One."

Akon and SRK reportedly met while the King of Bollywood was in the U.S. to promote his latest movie "My Name is Khan" and the meeting went so well that Akon secured a role in the movie that is sure to be a box-office hit!

We can’t wait to see SRK, Kareena Kapoor and Akon star in the same movie! How about you? Drop us a line.

Shahrukh Khan Bonds With Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese At Berlin

Shahrukh Khan doesn’t sleep. Or so it seems. He landed in Mumbai on Thursday from Dubai after a show, but shows no sign of strain or jetlag. Just before Dubai the mega-star was in Berlin for the film festival negotiating the attention of hundreds of screaming fans.

What we don’t know is that Shahrukh met and bonded in Berlin with American auteur director Martin Scorsese and his favorite actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

Says Shahrukh, “Leonardo, Martin and I spent some time together. Martin was gracious enough to remember that he had met me in Cannes way back in 2002 when I was there for Devdas. He wants to watch Devdas and I’ve promised to send it to him. I’ll do so right way.”

After the glorious performance in My Name Is Khan as a physically-disabled underdog journeying across America on a whimsical mission, Shahrukh Khan is all set to play the super-hero flying across the sky to save humanity.

True to its mythological title Ra.1 which starts shooting next month in Mumbai followed by Goa and London, will have Shahrukh combating 10 villains. Raavan according to Hindu mythology was a ten-headed demon whom Ram vanquished single-handedly.

In Ra.1 the modern-day Raavan has been turned into ten different villains whom super-hero Shahrukh, the modern-day Ram will annihilate one after another.

Shahrukh Khan seemed remarkably relaxed in Berlin on the day after his film My Name Is Khan opened in Mumbai accompanied by violent protests by the Shiv Sena.

Said Shahrukh from Berlin, “I missed the opening in Mumbai. But I believe people have liked the film. I’m being told I’m in character. That’s good to hear. Give me a character to be in, and I’m right there.”

The SRK brand of humor was intact when told that My Name Is Khan doesn’t look like a Karan Johar film. At his deadliest deadpan best SRK retorted, “Yeah, even I felt like that when I first saw it. I told Karan, ‘Arrey yaar yeh tum ne kaisi picture banayee hai?’ Actually the three ladies in our lives Hiroo Aunty (Karan’s mother Hiroo Johar), Kajol and Gauri have made this film.”

Getting serious SRK said, “I thought it would take audiences a little time to come to terms with the film. But I am glad it was well-received.”

After playing the under-dog in two successive films Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and My Name Is Khan (we aren’t counting his guest appearance in Dulha Mil Gaya) Shahrukh will be flying across the sky in Ra.1. The estimated budget of the film to be produced by Shahrukh Khan’s Red Chillies, is Rs 100 crores. And no, Kareena Kapoor won’t be joining him in midair.

She plays Shahrukh’s grounded wife and not a super-woman.

Says a source close to Ra.1, “Kareena was keen to attempt the hi-jinks with Shahrukh, especially since Agent Vinod where she had a lot of stunts has again been postponed, but in Ra.1 all the conflict involves Shahrukh and the ten villains.”

Shahrukh along with the film’s director Anubhav Sinha and journalist-writer Mushtaq Sheikh has co-written Ra.1 and will be credited as one of the writers.

The film will be in Hindi.

Says a source, “He was advised to make the film in English. But Shahrukh decided to make it in Hindi. Why should he pitch his super-hero film to the Western audience when they already have their Superman and Spiderman? Shahrukh has no aspirations of cracking Hollywood on their terms.”

The film requires the star to perform never-before heart-in-the-mouth stunts, which he’s gearing to do.